


Dog Days of August

by enigmaticblue



Category: Bones
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-30
Updated: 2010-03-30
Packaged: 2017-10-08 12:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/75827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack Hodgins was really more of a bug guy than a cat or dog person, and maybe that was the problem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dog Days of August

Jack Hodgins was really more of a bug guy than a cat or a dog person, and maybe that was part of the problem. His birthday gifts had always run along the lines of expensive perfume, or jewelry, or intensely romantic gestures requiring thought and planning—and sometimes a lot of money. So, maybe he was a little jealous that Wendell had been the one to suggest they all chip in to rescue a dog from the pound for Angela’s birthday.

Hearing Angela squeal in pure joy when Wendell brought the fluffy, white dog into the lab—with Cam’s blessing, of course—caused a moment’s jealousy. _He_ should have thought of a dog; Angela had been pining after animals of one sort or another for months now.

“I should have thought of that.”

It was strange to hear Dr. Brennan echo his thoughts next to him. “Huh?”

“Angela’s birthday gift.” Brennan had a glass of red wine in hand, and she was watching Angela fawn over the dog with a strange expression on her face.

“Join the club,” Hodgins replied. At her confused expression, he added, “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“Perhaps it’s because Angela and Mr. Bray were in a relationship?” she suggested.

Hodgins didn’t bother to hide his wince. “I’m not sure it’s past tense.”

“Oh.” Brennan seemed uncharacteristically hesitant; Hodgins suspected that was Booth’s doing. She was a little more tactful than she had been in the past—not much, but a little, which was saying a lot where Brennan was concerned.

“It’s okay, Dr. Brennan.”

They kept their eyes focused on Angela, who was now fielding conflicting advice from Booth and Cam as to how best to housetrain the dog, as well as the occasional name suggestion.

“Maybe I should call him Wendell,” Angela suggested with a sly grin.

Wendell blushed and shook his head. “I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Maybe you should tell Angela that you want to be with her,” Brennan suggested in a low voice.

Hodgins shook his head. “I’m not what she wants or needs right now.”

Brennan fixed him with a sharp, incisive stare; Hodgins didn’t think he’d ever had that look directed at him, although he’d seen it plenty of times when there was a dead body on the forensics platform.

“Sometimes we don’t always know what we need—or want.”

Hodgins watched as Brennan joined the others, suggesting Casper as a name, since the dog was white. He wished that her words hadn’t engendered so much hope in him; waiting on Angela was a lot like waiting through the dog days of August. Maybe the heat would eventually pass, but you were miserable in the meantime.

Taking a swallow of the vodka he’d cooked up himself, Hodgins steeled himself and wandered over to join the group. He grinned as Booth clapped him on the shoulder, and Cam smiled her welcome; Angela and Wendell were still hesitant around him, but he knew that would pass eventually.

And eventually, he’d be all right again.


End file.
